1. Related Applications
There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed by the instant inventors in this or any foreign country.
2. Field of Invention
Our invention relates generally to storage devices, and more particularly to rotatably mounted peripherally defined columns having holes for support of elongate fasteners and carry brackets with upstanding vertical arms for support of annular fasteners.
3. Background and Description of Prior Art
The sorting, storage and maintenance of screws, nuts, bolts, washers and similar fasteners in smaller amounts than those customarily packaged for bulk sales has presented a perennial problem. The problem is exacerbated by the large number of different sizes and types of such items, and the fact that the ordinary user normally does not desire large quantities of a particular item, but does desire a substantial number of different items that vary in size, threading, head type, length and the like. Responsively, various holders have become known to fulfill this need, but none have completely done so. The instant invention provides a new, novel and improved member of this class of device.
To be effective for fastener storage a holder must not only provide means for positionally maintaining fasteners, but also must maintain similar fasteners in groups that are readily accessible for selection of individual items. Most known holders have merely provided bin-type containers wherein a plurality of fasteners are stored in a loose, bulk fashion without positional maintenance of individual elements or segregation of different elements relative to each other. Bin type storage, though relatively inexpensive and simple of construction, creates a problem in allowing various contained fasteners, and especially externally threaded portions of bolts and screws, to contact each other often with substantial impact under ordinary conditions of use. As this occurs, the relatively delicate threaded structures may be damaged to make the fasteners unusable or ineffective if used. Our holder solves this problem by providing individual holes for containment and support of each elongate fastener in a fashion which prevents the fasteners from impinging upon and contacting each other under even relatively violent handling conditions.
Individual support holes for elongate fastener storage have an added benefit in that they may be sized for particular diameters of fastener shanks and by reason of this feature, the holes serve as a means for aiding automatic sorting of elongate fasteners by reason of their diameter. Support brackets that carry annular washers or nuts may serve a similar purpose by providing vertical storage elements that are of substantially the same diameter as a fastener holes to allow sorting based on fastener. The sizing of holes or bracket elements substantially the same as the corresponding dimensions of fasteners being held provides a secondary advantage by creating some security of holding fasteners so that they may not be readily removed from their associated holding element by accidental impact forces or motions not intended to cause their release.
Fastener holders to be effective must provide storage for a substantial number of relatively small groups of elongate fasteners and fewer groups of annular elements, as the same annular elements may be used upon bolts of similar diameter and thread but with other differing characteristics. We accomplish this end by providing a peripherally defined columnar storage element with groups of lineally arrayed, spaced holes oriented in an axially parallel fashion with brackets for nut and washer support positioned between groups of holes. The columnar storage surface provides a secondary benefit in allowing simple and compact rotary mounting of the storage column, so that the column may be rotated to allow ready selection of and access to stored fasteners while yet providing a large storage area that occupies a relatively small space.
Our holder also may be used at various periods of the life cycle of the elements stored. Though it is primarily designed for use as a storage device for an end user of stored products, it may also serve as a container for transport and merchandising. The peripherally defined, columnar structure of the device serves this latter purpose admirably as the structure is relatively low in mass, strong and durable and may have stored objects maintained within its structure by means of sheet plastic "shrink wrap" or the like carried about its external periphery for periods of transportation, storage or other uses which could untimely disorient the stored elements or cause or allow their removal from the device. A species of holder providing plural removable panels also allows such use as related to an individual panel which comprises only a part of the entire holding device.
Our invention resides not in any one these features per se, but rather in the synergistic combination of all of the structures of our holder that necessarily give rise to the functions flowing therefrom, as herein specified and claimed.